LITTLE HEROES ... Bob Donkin with his grandchildren Amy, aged three, and seven-year-old Adam, whose quick actions in phoning for an ambulance saved his life when he had a heart attack.

A QUICK-thinking seven-year-old has been hailed a hero after saving his grandad’s life.

Adam Smith was at home in Pennywell with his sister Amy, three, when 76-year-old Bob Donkin suddenly collapsed with severe chest pains.

The grandad was having a heart attack, but Adam kept calm and dialled 999 after he and Amy helped him to lie down.

The youngster also knew to fetch his grandad’s medication to show the ambulance crew when they arrived, and locked their dog in another room, all while looking after his little sister, on January 2.

The siblings will now be rewarded with certificates of merit from the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) for their bravery.

Retired shipyard worker Bob, who was widowed two years ago, had been babysitting the youngsters at the time, while their parents – Bob’s daughter Andrea, 40, and her husband James Smith, 31 – had gone out for a meal.

Cleaner Andrea said a police officer telephoned the couple at 7.15pm to tell them what had happened.

She said: “My dad was OK when my husband left. He then went into the kitchen because of getting a pain in his chest.

“Adam and Amy helped him back into the sitting room and helped him get down on to the settee before Adam rang 999.

“He saved my dad’s life, without a doubt.”

Bob was operated on at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital and is recovering at home.

Andrea added: “He is tired, but doing well.

“He was operated on straightaway at the Freeman Hospital. We didn’t even get to see him. We did nearly lose him. It gave us all a real fright.

“I’m so immensely proud of Adam. You can’t put it into words. My dad wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t done what he did.”

A spokeswoman for the NEAS said: “Given their ages, Adam and Amy did remarkably well to keep such cool heads.

“Being with someone who is suffering a suspected heart attack can be a very traumatic and distressing experience – so to have the presence of mind to make the 999 call, which probably saved their granddad’s life, is something that deserves public recognition.

“The paramedic who attended has asked us to pass on her thanks to Adam, who not only made the call, but also found his granddad’s medication and put it beside him ready for the crew when they arrived.

“Adam also looked after his three-year-old sister and locked a dog away in another room so the crew could concentrate on the patient.

“These actions were a great help to the paramedic, and as a result, we will be awarding Adam and Amy with official North East Ambulance Service Certificates of Merit.”

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